| Both sides previous revision Previous revision Next revision | Previous revision Next revisionBoth sides next revision |
| transcriptions:rules [2019-12-18 22:35:37] – changed font of long s character; other minor wordsmithing Ken Norman | transcriptions:rules [2020-07-24 21:11:27] – added bullet for bold text on person names Ken Norman |
|---|
| * **Semantic preservation**: I always preserve the [[define>semantics]] of what is written/typed. If the text is factually incorrect, I nevertheless remain faithful to the author's words. | * **Semantic preservation**: I always preserve the [[define>semantics]] of what is written/typed. If the text is factually incorrect, I nevertheless remain faithful to the author's words. |
| * **Brackets**: I use brackets (i.e., ''<typo fc:blue; fw:bold>[</typo> %%...%% <typo fc:blue; fw:bold>]</typo>'') to denote something that is //not// in the original text. I have very rarely found brackets in use in older handwritten text. | * **Brackets**: I use brackets (i.e., ''<typo fc:blue; fw:bold>[</typo> %%...%% <typo fc:blue; fw:bold>]</typo>'') to denote something that is //not// in the original text. I have very rarely found brackets in use in older handwritten text. |
| * **Errors**: I use ''[sic]'' to denote when an error is the author's, not mine. Sometimes, I will include the correction when it isn't entirely obvious (e.g., ''pson [sic: person]''). | * **Errors**: I use ''[sic]'' to denote when an error is the author's, not mine. Sometimes, I will include the correction when it isn't entirely obvious (e.g., pson ''[sic: person]''). |
| * **Dates**: Dates are written in a variety of ways, to include numbers written as words. I strive to always type the date in a standardized Gregorian Calendar format of ''dd Mmm yyyy'' immediately after the text date (e.g., ''the Tenth Day of aprill 1684 [10 Apr 1684]''). This makes the date more easily recognized by search engines. | * **Dates**: Dates are written in a variety of ways, to include numbers written as words. I strive to always type the date in a standardized Gregorian Calendar format of ''dd Mmm yyyy'' immediately after the text date (e.g., the Tenth Day of aprill 1684 ''[10 Apr 1684]''). This makes the date more easily recognized by search engines. |
| * **Numbers**: When quantities are written as words, I'll give the numeric equivalent in brackets (e.g., ''one hundred [100]''). | * **Numbers**: When quantities are written as words, I'll give the numeric equivalent in brackets (e.g., one hundred ''[100]''). |
| * **Names**: When a name is abbreviated, or given only as initials, I will provide a complete name if it is known (e.g., ''Wm. [William]''). This helps improve search engine results. | * **Names**: When a name is abbreviated, or given only as initials, I will provide a complete name if it is known (e.g., Wm. ''[William]''). This helps improve search engine results. |
| * **Illegible/Confusing**: | * **Illegible/Confusing**: |
| * If a word is illegible, I'll typically use a sequence of underline characters in place of the unknown word (e.g., ''[%%____%%]''). | * If a word is illegible, I'll typically use a sequence of underline characters in place of the unknown word (e.g., ''[%%____%%]''). |
| * Sometimes I'll take a reasonable guess (based on context and/or similarity to other text on the page) and include a question mark (e.g., ''[twenty?]''). | * Sometimes I'll take a reasonable guess (based on context and/or similarity to other text on the page) and include a question mark (e.g., ''[twenty?]''). |
| * Occasionally, if the word appears legible, but also seems incorrect in context, I'll just add a commented question mark after the transcription (e.g., "...Quingsby''[?]'' Swamp..."). | * Occasionally, if the word appears legible, but also seems incorrect in context, I'll just add a commented question mark after the transcription (e.g., "...Quingsby''[?]'' Swamp..."). |
| * **Money**: I will indicate money using modern notation wherever possible (e.g., ''ten pounds [£10]''). If old style notation is used, I will convert to modern notation (e.g., ''4/ [4s]'', which is four shillings). | * **Money**: I will indicate money using modern notation wherever possible (e.g., ten pounds ''[£10]''). If old style notation is used, I will convert to modern notation (e.g., 4/ ''[4 shillings]''; or, 4/ ''[4s]''). |
| * **No new content**: I never introduce new content into the transcribed text (except when contained within brackets, as described above). | * **No new content**: I never introduce new content into the transcribed text (except when contained within brackets, as described above). |
| * **"Long" //s//**: The [[wp>Long_s|long s]] (i.e., the <typo fc:blue; fw:bold; ff:serif>//ſ//</typo> character) is an archaic form of the lower case letter //s//, which was used both in some early printing typesets as well as in handwriting. I simply replace it with a lowercase //s//. Some transcribers use the lowercase //f//, but that is grammatically and syntactically incorrect. | * **"Long" //s//**: The [[wp>Long_s|long s]] (i.e., the <typo fc:blue; fw:bold; ff:serif>//ſ//</typo> character) is an archaic form of the lower case letter //s//, which was used both in some early printing typesets as well as in handwriting. I simply replace it with a lowercase //s//. Some transcribers use the lowercase //f//, but that is grammatically and syntactically incorrect. |
| * My transcriptions are posted online and, as such, the text needs to "flow" based on screen size. Even so, some line breaks make perfect sense, such as when it's obvious that a new line is appropriate (lists, tabular data, etc.). | * My transcriptions are posted online and, as such, the text needs to "flow" based on screen size. Even so, some line breaks make perfect sense, such as when it's obvious that a new line is appropriate (lists, tabular data, etc.). |
| * **Inserted line breaks**: I may insert a line break when it makes the transcription more readable or more comprehensible. An example would be to begin a new line for each "Item" in a will. Another example is when the original text is written in one long, continuous paragraph; in such a case I may break it into sections as content dictates. | * **Inserted line breaks**: I may insert a line break when it makes the transcription more readable or more comprehensible. An example would be to begin a new line for each "Item" in a will. Another example is when the original text is written in one long, continuous paragraph; in such a case I may break it into sections as content dictates. |
| * **Punctuation**: No punctuation is added or removed, even if doing so would improve readability. Old documents (and images thereof) often have smudges or marks that are mistaken for punctuation. I'll ignore these when/if the context reasonably indicates they are not punctuation marks. | * **Punctuation**: No punctuation is added or removed, even if doing so would improve readability. Old documents (and images thereof) often have smudges or marks that are mistaken for punctuation. I'll ignore these when/if the context reasonably indicates they are not punctuation marks. |
| | * **Person Names**: I highlight all occurrences of people's names with bold text (e.g., **John Q. Public**) in order to make it easy for the reader to quickly scan a page to find them. |
| |